Residents of unincorporated Chatham County are paying too much for too little in terms of trash pickup and curbside recycling, advocates of a curbside program told the Chatham County Commission Friday.

Residents could save about $5 million to $6 million annually if Chatham imitated what’s been done in Effingham, Bryan or Glynn counties, where service is not only cheaper but also includes curbside recycling along with household garbage, attorney Dana Braun told the commission.

“That is an average of $187-$223 (per household) annually,” Braun said. “This is annual savings, not one year.”

Braun represents Citizens for Curbside Recycling. That group first gathered the information presented to the commission about a year ago, after its petition drive fell short of the number of signatures needed to force a referendum on the issue.

Chatham’s seven private waste haulers charge about $29 a month on average for garbage pickup that doesn’t include recycling, Braun said. In contrast, Effingham residents pay about $14; Bryan about $13; and Glynn about $10.50.

Recycling advocates sought to present their research to the commission last spring. Instead, the board met behind closed doors and sent Braun a letter indicating it preferred to allow “free market conditions to dictate the implementation and scope of curbside recycling services.”

Braun was invited to make the presentation only after Chairman Pete Liakakis and several candidates for county commission — Eddie DeLoach, Tony Center, Willie Brown, and Lori Brady — attended a recent meeting of the Sierra Club that focused on the issue.

Commissioners, who have proclaimed a goal of making Chatham the greenest county in Georgia, seemed wary of meddling in the private market but intrigued by the possible savings.

Commissioner James Holmes wanted to know how many jobs would be eliminated by having one hauler.

Answer: It’s unclear, but some jobs would probably shift to the company that won the contract, Braun said.

“The overall loss is not going be significant and the overall benefit to the citizens is going to far make up for it,” he said.

Commissioner Dean Kicklighter was concerned with how it would be enforced without a water and sewer bill on which to bill it.

Answer: Maybe on the tax bill.

“Glynn, Bryan and Effingham, are in the same situation,” Braun said. “They figured it out.”

Commissioner Helen Stone was concerned with how well her constituents would receive a mandate to use a particular hauler. Some residents dispose of their garbage on their own, she said.

Answer: “Staff has said households are supposed to be dealing with garbage,” Braun said. “There is a legitimate government interest in making sure garbage is handled.”

Private waste haulers weren’t keen on the county’s involvement.

Ben Wall of Atlantic Waste said some of his customers prefer a boutique service, with more frequent service, pickup at the back door or even pickup on a particular day of their choosing.

“People like choice, and are willing to pay for it,” he said. “It’s wrong to eliminate choice.”

He questioned the legality of the county contracting with a private hauler to service the unincorporated area.

“I think we would have an argument and we’d fight it, Wall said.

His dad, Burke Wall, said “the system’s not broke and doesn’t need fixing.” He noted the absence of the higher Savannah rates from the presentation.

Savannah spokesman Bret Bell later said the city’s rate, which includes curbside recycling, is $26 per month. A proposed increase, subject to council approval, averages $1.40 over each of the next five years. The increase would help pay for a landfill expansion.

Braun said the city uses its own staff, which is better paid than that of private haulers. The county would be contracting with a private company, he noted.

There’s lots to work out for any program to work and one couldn’t be started immediately, Braun said.

“All we’re asking is you really look at this,” Braun said.

In a final exchange that became heated, Kicklighter circled back to a concern about “forced recycling.”

“You can save the planet by individual household if that’s your goal, but don’t force poor people at this point to recycle when they don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” he said.

Braun, who by then had spent close to an hour presenting the lower cost options available in other counties, sounded exasperated.

“If you’re concerned about the poor person who is paying $30 or $25 for garbage service with no recycling, why wouldn’t you want them to pay $12 like in Effingham, Bryan, or Glynn County?” he asked.

Shortly thereafter, Liakakis ended the discussion. After the meeting he pledged that county staff would study the issue and report back to the commission.

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want to be told who is going to pick up my trash. If I don't like the company I have the choice to go find one more to my liking. Especially if that means a lower price, but I am the one who should be allowed to make that decision. I don't want trash removal added onto my real estate tax. Why they just might want to up the "low" fee like my dry trash removal was up'd for no reason; still don't receive anything more for the increased fee.
Personally, I also choose to recycle even though I live in the unincorporated area. This is MY choice.
I DON'T want to be told what to do by a small panel of greeners. If they want it so much, let them pay for the enforced cost.
Why are they trying to fix something that is not broken. SPARE ME.

I wish recycling was important to everyone. In our household of four, we routinely fill our recycling bin before the trash bin. I wish our recycling was picked up every week instead of twice a month. Ours is ALWAYS full. And since the county/city/whoever is making money from the recyclables, we should get a discount on our garbage bill.

My brother ( who lives in the county ) pays 400 $ per year for one pickup per week. The county has NEVER cut the grass in front of his house, ( their right of way ) picked up any trash..( eventually we got tired of looking at it and took it to the landfill on Wilmington )

The county has patched the potholes ( HUNDREDS OF THEM ) but when a paving contractor paved Spanish hammock road recently, and had everything needed on site to PROPERLY repair them, they didn't have the common sense to add this problem area ( around the stop sign at the end of the Crab-Shack road ) to their job. ITS INSANE.... over 100 work orders to THIS SAME location....and they paved the " Other road "

Goaway you own one of the 7 companies don't you? How nice that the county commission allows this over charging to occur. Guess they believe that protecting the grossly high rates for the 7 trash companies is far more important than bringing the consumers cost down by 1/2 and give everyone in unincorporated curbside recycling. Only in Chatham County....

NO I DON'T OWN OR HAVE ANY INTEREST IN A GARBAGE SERVICE. Did you read I voluntarily choose to recycle? So I voluntarily pay for both. I don't want to be told I have to do anything and have the suggestion the cost go on my tax bill. It will never go down again and it is so easy to keep raising the cost.

Are you people being screwed!! I pay less than $18 a month for garbage pickup and that includes recylcing plus they picked up a 30" TV and a printer I discarded this week at no extra charge. And in a county that is very much less dense than Chatham!!! And my old acquanitance Pete is finally interested after he went to a Siera meeting?? This is about 30 years too late. Pete, buddy, go take a Fleet.

It sounds like paddy politics is at it again in Savannah!!

Edited to add: I wonder who in government is being paid off to allow such a rip-off??